The present invention relates in general to engagement of non-employee workers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a distributed computer network configured to aid an organization in managing engagements of non-employee workers who are supplied by a vendor.
Many organizations engage non-employee workers for the performance of temporary jobs. Non-employee workers are also commonly referred to as contract workers, temporary workers, temps, or the like. Non-employee workers are typically supplied to an organization by vendors, which are also commonly referred to as agencies or suppliers. Typically, the organization compensates the vendor for services rendered by a non-employee worker. The vendor is the employer of the non-employee worker and is responsible for compensating the non-employee worker.
The engagement of non-employee workers tends to be a paper work intensive undertaking. Records must be maintained at every level to obtain approval for engaging a non-employee worker, to record the hours worked by the non-employee worker, to approve the hours worked by the non-employee worker, and to ensure that the vendor is appropriately compensated. According to common practice, the organization maintains a set of records, the non-employee maintains a set of records, and the vendor maintains a set of records. The records maintained by each party must subsequently be reconciled to ensure that proper payments are exchanged and appropriate government reporting is accomplished. Presently, there is no desirable solution for automating the process involved in managing the engagement of non-employee workers.
When an organization engages a significant number of non-employee workers, management and accounting dilemmas are amplified. In the first instance, difficulty in keeping track of the precise skills possessed by each non-employee worker may lead to the placement of unqualified workers in certain positions. Also, from an accounting perspective, the engagement of a large number of non-employee workers may lead to cash flow problems. For example, confusion may arise as to whether a request for compensation was approved by an authorized manager. Also, duplicate requests for compensation may often be processed before the duplication is recognized. These and other problems associated with the engagement of non-employee workers are commonly known.
Thus, there remains a need for a method and system that automates the process of managing engagements of non-employee workers.
The present invention meets the need described above by providing a method and system for automating the process of managing engagements of non-employee workers. The method and system of the present invention encompasses all aspects of an organization""s non-employee worker engagement, including: establishment of a contractual relationship with a vendor, requisition of a suitable non-employee worker for a particular job, creation of a work assignment with execution of job-specific agreements, approval of a work assignment, evaluation of non-employee worker services, submission of time reports by non-employee workers, approval/disapproval of time reports, compensation of vendors for services rendered by the non-employee worker, evaluation of the engagement of the non-employee worker and reporting on the engagement of the non-employee worker.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an organization maintains a computer system that is linked via a network to a computer system maintained by the vendor. Electronic communication means may be provided for communicating and sharing information between an organization""s computer system and a vendor""s computer system. A database is provided as a component of the organization""s computer system for storing non-employee worker profiles and managing work assignments. A non-employee worker profile minimally includes the name and social security number of the non-employee worker. Optimally, a non-employee worker profile also includes detailed information about the non-employee worker, such as a resume, specific skills, prior service evaluations, hourly rates for specific tasks, availability, etc. A database management system is provided for accessing the database to create, modify, store and access non-employee worker profiles, work assignments, time reports, and possibly electronic versions of employment agreements. Electronic settlement means may also be provided for transferring payments to the vendor in exchange for services rendered by the non-employee worker. Electronic settlement means may also be used to automatically reimburse a vendor for expenses incurred by a non-employee worker during an engagement.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an engaging manager is responsible for requesting a non-employee worker who is suitable to fill a particular position. To find a suitable non-employee worker, the engaging manager may send an e-mail request to the vendor. Upon receipt of the e-mail request, the vendor may compile a list of all qualified and available non-employee workers. The vendor may then provide the engaging manager with an e-mail response listing all eligible non-employees workers. The engaging manager may then request a non-employee worker from the list and, via e-mail, seek the approval of a supervisor for engaging the non-employee worker. In another embodiment, the engaging manager may search the non-employee worker profiles in the database in order to find a suitable non-employee worker without having to send an e-mail request to the vendor.
The vendor and the organization may have an executed master contract on file prior to the organization""s engagement of non-employee workers. Then, as each non-employee worker is engaged, a supplemental agreement may be electronically generated and transmitted to the vendor, via e-mail or facsimile, for execution. A supplemental agreement is meant to supplement the master contract by specifying the terms of a particular engagement. Intellectual property assignments and non-disclosure agreements may be included in supplemental agreements.
Work assignments are entered into the database by the engaging manager. Work assignments may include a job description, an hourly rate, and information identifying the non-employee worker and the vendor. Work assignments may be accessed electronically for approval by a work assignment approver. Upon approval of a work assignment, a non-employee worker is provided with access to the database in order to store a time report therein. The time report records time worked against the work assignment. Non-employee workers may be provided with local and/or remote access to the database.
Time reports may be electronically accessed by a time approver for approval or disapproval. A time approver may approve or disapprove a time report in whole or in part, or may override a portion of the time report so as to adjust the time recorded therein. Once a portion of the time report has been approved, that portion of the time report is rendered unavailable for modification by the non-employee worker. Any approved time is submitted to an accounts payable department of the organization. The accounts payable department then compensates the vendor for services rendered by the non-employee worker. Compensation of the vendor may be handled by electronic fund transfer or any other well know means.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention may be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments and by reference to the appended drawings and claims.